Side bearing for railway-cars.



G. P. SNEAD.

SIDE BEARING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 27, 1912.

Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

PH col. WASHING GEORGE PENNIE SNEAD, OF PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

SIDE BEARING FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 29,1912.

Application filed July 27, 1912. Serial No. 711,832.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. SNEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pine Bluff, in the county of Jefferson and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Side Bearings for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to side bearings for railway cars, and has particular reference to a novel form of adjustable side bearings employed to prevent undue ver-' tical swinging of the car transoms.

I am aware that side bearings to prevent undue vertical swinging movement of transoms have heretofore been devised. After these devices are in use for a while the engaging parts of the same are worn away and hence they are incapable of fulfilling their function.

As far as I am aware no reliable and simple means has been devised whereby the parts of the side bearings may be adjusted to take up the space caused by wear.

In the practice of my invention I provide side bearings including upper and lower bearing elements, which are connected respectively with the transom and truckbolster. The upper bearing element is in the form of a wedge. By moving this wedge-shaped bearing element longitudinally of the transom, the space between the same and the lower bearing element may be taken up. I provide novel and simple means to prevent the accidental movement of the upper wedge-shaped bearing element and to permit of the proper longitudinal movement of the same when desired.

An important object of this invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, easy to adjust,strong, and durable.

Other objects and advantages of the in-' vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side View of a transom and truck-bolster having my improved device applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal central vertical sectional view taken through corresponding ends of the transom and truck-bolster and my improved device, Fig.

3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an end view of the transom and truck-bolster and associated elements.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a truck-bolster above which is mounted a transom 6, which has its lower surface tapered or inclined outwardly. Connected with the truck-bolster 5 is a lower central bearing element 7 engaged by an upper central bearing element 8, attached to the transom 6. A king pin or bolt 9 passes through these central bearing elements and serves to pivotally connect the transom and truck bolster, whereby the transom may swing horizontally with relation to said truck bolster, as is customary.

Mounted upon the upper surface of the truck bolster 5 near the ends thereof are lower side bearing elements or blocks 10, which are attached thereto by bolts 11 or the like. Mounted upon the lower surface of the transom 6 near the ends thereof are wedge-shaped upper side bearing elements 12, adapted to engage the lower side elements 10, upon undue vertical swinging movement of the transom.

Each of the upper side bearing elements 12 is provided with upstanding longitudinal flanges 13, for receiving therebetween the transom 6 as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. Each of the upper side bearing elements 12 is provided with a longitudinal slot 14, for

receiving therethrough a clamping bolt 15,

which is square in cross-section for the greater portion of its length and is provided at its free end with a cylindrical screwthreaded portion 16. The bolt 15 extends through an opening 17 in the transom.

The numeral 18 designates the head of the bolt 15, such head fitting within a recess 19 and being flush with the lower surface of the bearing element 12, as shown.

The bearing element 12 and the transom 6 i have their engaging faces provided with teeth or corrugations 20, which prevent the accidental displacement of the bearing element 12.

The numeral 21 designates a block having a square opening 22 formed therethrough, for receiving the square portion of the bolt 15. The block 21 carries preferably oppositely arranged flexible wings 23, which are normally horizontal.

The numeral 24 designates a nut which is mounted upon the screw-threaded portion 16 of the bolt 15. When the nut 24 is being screwed up, the wings 23 are bent down from the same, and subsequently bent upwardly about it and thus serve as a lock to prevent the accidental rotation of the nut.

The bearing element 12 is provided upon one side thereof with an extension which may be struck by a hammer or the like to move the element 12 longitudinally.

In the use of the device, the side bearing elements 10 and 12 are disposed as shown in Fig. 1. WVhen the engaging faces of these elements wear away, the spaces may be taken up by moving the elements 12 inwardly longitudinally. This may be readily accomplished by bending down the wings 2-3 so that the nut 24 may be unscrewed sufliciently to allow the element 12 to be moved longitudinally with relation to the transom 6. The lug or extension 25 is struck with a hammer or the like to move the wedgeshaped element 12 inwardly, subsequently to which the nut 24 is again screwed up to hold the element 12 against accidental displacement. The corrugated surfaces 20 cooperate with the nut 15 to prevent the accidental displacement of the element 12.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that certain changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a lower side bearing element to be attached to a truckbolster and having a horizontal upper surface, of an upper longitudinally adjustable wedge-shaped side bearing element to be mounted upon a transom which has its lower surface tapered outwardly and having a longitudinal slot formed therethrough, a bolt passing through the slot and through an opening in the transom, a nut carried by or lug 25,

the bolt, and means to prevent the aceidental rotation of the nut.

2. The combination with a truck-bolster and a transom cooperating therewith. of a block rigidly mounted upon the truck-bolster near the end thereof, a wedge-shaped upper side bearing element provided upon its longitudinal edges with flanges to receive therebetween the transom, the transom and the upper side bearing element having their engaging faces corrugated, the upper side bearing element being provided with a longitudinal slot leading into a large recess, a bolt formed square in cross-seetion for the greater portion of its length and extending through the longitudinal slot and an opening in the transom and having its head disposed within said recess to be flush with the lower surface of the bearing element, a nut mounted upon the screwthreaded end of the bolt, and means engaging the square portion of the bolt to prevent the accidental rotation of the nut.

3. The combination with a truck-bolster and a transom cooperating therewith and having its lower surface tapered outwardly, of a block rigidly mounted upon the truclt bolster near the end thereof and having its upper surface horizontal, a wedge-shaped upper side bearing element provided upon its longitudinal edges with flanges to receive the transom therebetween and be longitudinally movably mounted upon the tapered lower surface of said transom, said upper side bearing element being provided with a longitudinal slot, a bolt formed square in cross-section and extending through said slot and an opening in said transom, a nut mounted upon the screw-threaded end of the bolt, and means to engage the square portion of the bolt and the nut to hold the latter against accidental rotation.

In witness whereof I aifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE PEN NIE SNEAD.

Witnesses:

A. F. W. MAGMANUS, FRANKIE VAUGHN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

